I had the pleasure to meet (and work for) one of the first contestants for the price the right. He lives in a retirement home in Lynchburg VA now and I can’t remember his name. In his room he had a picture of him and the host sitting in front of the price tag on set. He had black hair and glasses and was young at the time. He was a paid actor and was friends with the host (at least that’s what he said). I’ve been looking through old archives for this show trying to see if I could find him but so far I haven’t been successful. I’m also sure the names used aren’t people’s real names.

The Price is Right is a game show that premiered in 1956 and soon became an American favorite. This game show was widely popular among men, women, and families. It was originally broadcast on NBC; however, it moved to ABC in 1963 and then CBS in 1972 where the current version of the show still remains. The original show was hosted by Bill Cullen and created by Bob Stewart for Mark Goodson – Bill Todman Productions. The purpose of the show was for contestants to place a bid closest to the price of the showcased item without going over. There were four contestants on each show, and one of those contestants was the returning champion from the previous show. There were a variety of items and prizes on the show ranging from products like clothing and furniture to cars and homes. These products served the purpose of an advertisement for certain brands as much as it served the purpose of the game show.

In one particular 1957 episode of The Price is Right, the only male contestant won almost every prize (Classic TV). In this episode, Bill Cullen started by introducing each of the four contestants. The first contestant was Mrs. Donna Sanderson, a housewife from New Jersey. The second contestant was Mr. Harold Michael, a tax collector from San Francisco. The third contestant was Mrs. Beatrice Barnett, a housewife from Oklahoma, and the last contestant was Mrs. Ellen Miller, a housewife from Pennsylvania. It is important to note that each of the female contestants were housewives. The first item contestants bid on was a dining room table set from Gallo Furniture Company priced at $215 and won by Mrs. Miller. The next item was a set of Wilson golf clubs. This was priced at $180.25 and won by Mr. Michael. He also won a bonus prize, which was a BMW Isetta 300 car. The next item that contestants bid on was an outfit ensemble including a blouse, skirt, hat, handbag, perfume, and heels. The retail value of this outfit was $103.49, and it was again won by Mr. Michael. Next, contestants bid on a Philco freezer priced at $499.95. This was a fairly new commodity, so the price was high. Mr. Michael also won this item. Bill Cullen then announced the winner of the Honeymoon Showcase Giveaway. The last item for bid was a furniture piece by Union National priced at $1,300, and it was won by Mr. Michael.

Throughout this episode of The Price is Right, there were various commercial breaks to advertise products for the Lever Brothers. There were also commercial breaks taken to advertise for the broadcasting network NBC. While the first half of the episode was sponsored by the Lever Brothers, the second half consisted solely of advertisements for NBC. Their sponsorship is why commercial breaks were inserted into the show—so products could be advertised for them. Furthermore, throughout the episode, the actual items contestants were bidding on also served as advertisements. Each company with a prize on the show was garnering advertising support for its brand and products.

The Price is Right reflected the postwar mode of consumerism that was gaining momentum during the 1950s. The mode of consumerism was a wave of Americans purchasing goods and commodities that they had previously not been able to afford. Wartime production had boosted the economy and helped America out of the depression. Many families found themselves having more money to spend. There were ample jobs and sufficient wages, and many people were eager to spend money on goods that had not been available or affordable during World War II. Thus, the 1950s saw the rise of television along with the rise of consumer spending. The Price is Right is situated in the midst of this context as it promotes consumerism with the products it advertises. The focus of this game show is simply consumer pricing (Mittell 245). Items that were in high demand in the 1950s were often items that contestants bid on while playing on The Price is Right. For instance, many of the items in high demand that were also displayed on the show included cars, cameras, refrigerators, washing machines, and furniture.

During the 1950s and 1960s, The Price is Right was a popular game show on television. During 1957 specifically, it aired on NBC on Mondays at 7:30 pm (Past Primetime Television Schedules). As a primetime show, families could gather around the TV in the evenings and watch the show together. Women were also primary consumers of the show as it played to housewives, often with the selection of products displayed. The Price is Right was one of the only shows to remain highly popular after the quiz show scandals of the late 1950s (Mittell 245). It was revealed that in many game shows, the competition was rigged and participants were receiving assistance from the producers of the shows to alter the outcome. People began to distrust many game shows and a lot were cancelled as a result. The Price is Right attracted even more viewers and gained popularity after other game shows were cancelled (MeTV). Another way the show appealed to viewers was its method of selecting participants. While game shows have always broadly appealed to viewers, The Price is Right uses a participatory mode by drawing contestants directly from the audience (Mittell 247). Overall, the show was appealing to viewers at home and those in the audience.

The Price is Right reflected not only the historical context of when it was created in the 1950s, but also the rise in popularity of the game show genre and its fixture in television. In the 1950s, World War II was over, the economy was booming, and consumerism was in full swing. Television was becoming increasingly important in society, and game shows such as The Price is Right reflected the culture of the era. Consumer pricing was the focus of the series, and contestants bid on products that were highly popular at the time. Advertising goods and products that were in high demand in society added a cultural dimension of this era to The Price is Right.

I was surprised to see that only the first half of the show was sponsored (by Lever Brothers, as noted in previous reviews). After a station break midway through the show, the advertising material that had been on the contestants' desk was gone. Breaks in the second half of the show are for an upcoming NBC program.

This episode is just another example of 50s game shows and some of the most amazing (and expensive) prizes ever offered! The original TPIR with Bill Cullen featured contestants winning not just cars, trips, & appliances...but outlandish prizes such as a model home, a 1926 Rolls Royce, a ferris wheel, and more. (Source: Wikipedia)

Bill Cullen had a long and lucrative career on game shows, not only was he the host of "The Price is Right", he also was a regular panelist on "I've Got a Secret" at the same time, he went on to host and/or be a panelist on many other game shows throughout his long career.
I also agree with the previous poster, there is quite a resemblance between him and Drew Carey!

Great to see the wonderful Bill Cullen. And even better, the sponsor's commercials, especially since Lever Bros recently left the detergent business and sold their products like Wisk.

This is totally different than today's TPIR! No college kids wearing "I Love Bob Barker" T-shirts! I thought the prices would have been a lot lower back then. Was that a car or a golf cart???

This is not as bad as The Betty Hutton Show.

Still, it's quite good.

I love all the prizes, they are much better than a delicious ham sandwich.

This was great! Thanks for uploading it. I've always been a fan of Bill Cullen, but it took me by surprise how much he looked like a thin Drew Carey, the present day host of THE PRICE IS RIGHT.

It's a very entertaining broadcast.